Semil
@semil
Investor via @HaystackVC focused on seed-stage investments // Venture Partner w/ @LightspeedVP
[quick post] The Breakout Tech Company Of 2023: @OpenAI Post: semilshah.com/2023/12/26/the… (This is a tradition on my blog for the past decade. Yes, it's a safe/boring choice & repeat of '22. I struggled w/ it this year, but end up here. I explain "why" in post.)
If you’re in your 20s in tech right now, getting really good at shitposting will get you 10x the career juice of any MBA or graduate degree (and a lot less debt).
Digging out of a large email hole, saw some articles I flagged to read about Deepseek, Remember that one? I think January '25. Generated lots of FUD, esp for closed models, but the market moved or shall I say accelerated greatly in their favor!
Q: Anyone using Notion Mail? Normally would never consider switching from normal Gsuite interface but Notion's product skill has me curious....
Q for euro music needs - please send me your current favorite French or French-inspired/fusion music artists, EDM creators, DJs, and bands. Thank you 🙏
"Palantir created [forward-deployed engineer] model. Their core insight, success comes from delivering outcomes on some software platform is now the standard for mid-market & enterprise software." -@ttunguz tomtunguz.com/fde-cs/
And heavy industry / deep tech companies with a competitive advantage in business model and / or quality of tech are having meteoric rises
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
Seed VC is facing an existential crisis. This isn't hyperbole. And it's not just a regular business cycle. It's a real crucible moment. My full thoughts here: nextview.vc/blog/a-crisis-… But if you want the TLDR, here you go:
Agreed with one exception. Strong DoD/dual use is getting funded...not sure where all the exits are going come from, but they are getting funded.
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
Founders: this can be true *AND* not matter for those who are hell-bent on finding a way to make the vision reality. Also worth considering: this focus on just 2 things means opportunities for investors looking for gems somewhere else 😉
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
Seems accurate based on recent experiences. Also implies huge swaths of the tech landscape are aruably being underfunded right now
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
multistages want s tier teams or s tier growth, if you’re in the middle it’s tough out there
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
Quoted for truth - big sucking sound of capital into companies at this intersection. I personally think that leaves a lot of money to be made outside this intersection.
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
Yeah that’s it. Please note founders. If this isn’t you, are probably too optimistic about fundraising right now.
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
The startup fundraising market is clearest I've seen in my 13yrs of tech investing - major funds only interested in 2 things: 1/ AI native co's w/ demonstrable momentum, rounds are big $; and 2/ seeds for outlier teams. That's it. Anything else encounters fundraising fiction.
A niche artist I follow (Roger Sellers, stage name = "Bayonne") just released 6yrs of his prior recordings. I like him b/c he plays every instrument & loops them; he doesn't tour a lot or try to make money, he's just a creator, pure in a unique way: open.spotify.com/album/35cYPDHh…
The best way to eliminate the sprawling spam on Twitter is by restricting who can reply to a tweet, reducing the medium to its essence - a broadcast radio, not a walkie-talkie.
As an early-stage investor, a trap is to tell founders what to do. But founders have to make the call in face of imperfect information, so the best an investor can do is “guide” the founder to what’s best for them. Guidance is more valuable than advice.
The opportunity cost of the team is the most valuable asset invested into any company. Use it wisely.
One reason raising too much $ too early is risky — it can subconsciously keep one anchored to an illusory outcome. It becomes too easy to stay on a suboptimal path out of duty or comfort, while invaluable time drifts by.